Through the National Skills Agreement, the Australian Government has partnered with states and territories to support the establishment of 20 nationally networked TAFE Centres of Excellence to help deliver a skilled workforce for strategically important industries to meet national challenges.
TAFE Centres of Excellence are increasing collaboration between TAFEs, through partnerships with employers, industries, Jobs and Skills Councils, unions, universities and other stakeholders to deliver the skills people need for good, secure work and careers.
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What is a TAFE Centre of Excellence?
The Australian Government is investing up to $324 million over five years, with matched funding from states and territories, to establish nationally networked TAFE Centres of Excellence. The TAFE Centres of Excellence are strengthening the capability and capacity of the VET system, providing high-quality and responsive skills training for critical and emerging industries, including the transformation to a net zero economy, sustaining essential care and support services, ensuring our digital and technological capability, delivering housing supply, and sovereign capability and food security.
TAFE Centres of Excellence will share best practice teaching and learning products with other TAFE institutions across Australia, including through the National TAFE Network. This will position TAFEs as the foundation for innovation across the VET sector through nationally consistent, world-class teaching and learning. Partnerships between the TAFE Centres of Excellence, industries, Jobs and Skills Councils, unions and universities will strengthen connections across the tertiary sector, providing support for students of all ages to gain the skills and knowledge needed to obtain good, secure jobs that allow them to contribute meaningfully to businesses and the broader Australian labour market.
The Australian Government has partnered with the states and territories on the following TAFE Centres of Excellence.
TAFE NSW Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, TAFE NSW Tighes Hill campus, NSW
The Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence is partnering with industry and universities to support the national transition to clean energy.
The Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE NSW Tighes Hill campus, will provide high-quality training products to support the national transition of traditional mining, energy and manufacturing industries into cleaner, renewable energy sources.
The Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will receive approximately $28.1 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $5.3 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE NSW websiteTAFE NSW Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, TAFE NSW Wetherill Park campus, NSW
The Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence aims to equip the future workforce with the skills needed to support Australia’s manufacturing sovereign capability and food security.
The Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE NSW Wetherill Park campus, will provide targeted training for advanced manufacturing and sovereign capability, food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing and will support greater integration of digital technology.
The Western Sydney Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will receive approximately $27 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE NSW websiteTAFE NSW Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, TAFE NSW Wollongong campus, NSW
The Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will deliver targeted training to support a national transition to clean energy.
The Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE NSW Wollongong campus, will specialise in the delivery of enhanced training in steel manufacturing, defence, and renewable manufacturing to support a positive transition to net zero for all Australians.
The Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will receive approximately $23.5 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE NSW websiteTAFE NSW Institute of Applied Technology Digital – National Centre of Excellence, TAFE NSW Meadowbank campus, NSW
The Institute of Applied Technology Digital – National Centre of Excellence will boost Australia’s workforce capability by delivering training in applied digital skills education for critical digital skills in the technology sector.
The Institute of Applied Technology Digital – National Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE NSW Meadowbank campus, will drive training in applied digital learning to ensure Australia’s digital and technology capability.
The Institute of Applied Technology Digital – National Centre of Excellence will receive $5.5 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE NSW website.
TAFE NSW Construction Centre of Excellence, TAFE NSW Kingswood campus, NSW
The TAFE NSW Construction Centre of Excellence will lead applied construction education to support increased quality, digital capability and application of technology.
The TAFE NSW Construction Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE NSW Kingswood Campus, will focus on strengthening Australia's construction sector, particularly in housing delivery, licensing reform, and sustainable building practices.
The TAFE NSW Construction Centre of Excellence will receive $5.5m from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement
Melbourne Polytechnic Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence, Melbourne Polytechnic Heidelberg campus, VIC
The Melbourne Polytechnic Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence will deliver industry-relevant and innovative training to uplift the technical and digital skills of traditional construction and engineering trades in modern methods of construction.
The Melbourne Polytechnic Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence, located at the Heidelberg campus, will provide targeted training in affordable and environmentally sustainable construction techniques to help deliver on national housing needs.
The Melbourne Polytechnic Future of Housing Construction Centre of Excellence will receive $25 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the Melbourne Polytechnic websiteDigital, AI, and Technology Centre of Excellence, Chisholm Institute Frankston campus, VIC
The Digital, AI, and Technology Centre of Excellence will support nation-wide uplift in digital literacy and innovative pathways to obtain digital skills.
The Digital, AI, and Technology Centre of Excellence, located at the Chisholm Institute’s Frankston campus, will work with Australian businesses and technology start-ups to establish satellite campuses for delivering targeted training for critical industries, while scaling established and emerging higher apprenticeship models across the TAFE network.
The Digital, AI and Technology Centre of Excellence will receive $15 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit New Digital Skills Centre of ExcellenceHome and Community Care Centre of Excellence, Holmesglen Institute Moorabbin campus, VIC
The Home and Community Care Centre of Excellence will equip the Australian workforce with cutting-edge skills for work in the home and community care sector.
The Home and Community Care Centre of Excellence, located at Holmesglen’s Moorabbin campus, will drive innovation in health care delivery by establishing virtual training methods to accommodate emerging technological trends in care delivery to support best practice research and pedagogy.
The Home and Community Centre of Excellence will receive $10.3 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
Victorian Renewable Energy TAFE Centre of Excellence, TAFE Gippsland, Morwell campus, VIC
The Victorian Renewable Energy TAFE Centre of Excellence will deliver training in new types of energy generation and immersive technologies to optimise Australia's workforce in evolving energy systems.
The Victorian Renewable Energy TAFE Centre of Excellence, primarily located at the Gippsland Morwell campus, will develop and deliver training in renewable energy technologies including smart grids and networks, and home electrification services.
The Victorian Renewable Energy TAFE Centre of Excellence will receive $25.0m from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
TAFE Centre of Excellence Construction Tech, TAFE Queensland, state-wide, QLD
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Construction Tech will address critical construction workforce supply and productivity challenges by driving innovation and digital transformation across the sector, focusing on small to medium enterprises.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Construction Tech, located across the network of TAFE Queensland campuses, will provide targeted training for the civil through to general construction sectors.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Construction Tech will receive $36.9m from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
TAFE Centre of Excellence Health Care and Support, TAFE Queensland, state-wide, QLD
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Health Care and Support will deliver critical higher-level skills training to grow and sustain Australia’s essential care and support services.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Health Care and Support, located across the network of TAFE Queensland campuses, will strengthen capability and capacity for the aged care, disability support, and mental health care sectors, and will explore new pathways in nursing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and health leadership.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Health Care and Support will receive $15 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $5 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE Queensland websiteTAFE Centre of Excellence Clean Energy Batteries, TAFE Queensland, state-wide, QLD
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Clean Energy Batteries will drive growth in the clean energy sector by improving and innovating training for clean energy battery technologies across Australia.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Clean Energy Batteries, located across the network of TAFE Queensland campuses, will target training for renewable energy batteries, intermittent renewable energy source storage, grid connectivity, network embedded storage at large and small scales, and electric vehicles for existing and emerging workforces.
The TAFE Centre of Excellence Clean Energy Batteries will receive $10 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE Queensland websiteClean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence (CESNCE), TAFE WA, state-wide, WA
The Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence will provide world-class training across the WA TAFE network to grow Australia’s clean energy skills and workforce capacity.
The Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence, located across the network of WA TAFE colleges and other training institutes, will specialise in the delivery of innovative training in clean energy technologies including solar, wind, hydrogen, and batteries, to feed into the grid to help create a Future Made in Australia.
The Clean Energy Skills National Centre of Excellence will receive $32.75 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $5.03 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the WA Clean Energy websiteWA Defence Industry Skills TAFE Centre of Excellence, South Metropolitan TAFE, state-wide, WA
The WA Defence Industry Skills TAFE Centre of Excellence will provide innovative training to strengthen Australia's sovereign defence capability.
The WA Defence Industry Skills TAFE Centre of Excellence, located across four South Metropolitan TAFE campuses, will also target activities to improve student completions and advance workers' knowledge in engineering and advanced manufacturing, preparing them for higher skilled roles in defence industries.
The WA Defence Industry Skills TAFE Centre of Excellence will receive $7.3 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the South Metropolitan TAFE websiteNational Security Centre of Excellence, TAFE SA Regency campus, SA
The TAFE SA National Security Centre of Excellence will improve the Australian workforce’s understanding of cybersecurity, information security, and foreign interference risks.
The National Security Centre of Excellence, located at the TAFE SA Regency campus, will provide training to the trades and technical workforces to address both physical and digital threats to improve sovereign capability, and ensure digital and technology capability across Australia.
The TAFE SA National Security Centre of Excellence will receive $14.1 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE SA websiteCentre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care, TAFE SA Adelaide campus, SA
The TAFE SA Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care is partnering with industry and universities to train early childcare workers for essential care services.
The TAFE SA Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care, located at the TAFE SA Adelaide City West campus, will lift the skills and capability of early childcare workers for essential care services on a national scale, through sharing of high-quality training products and industry demonstration to increase access to early childhood education and care across Australia.
The TAFE SA Centre of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care will receive $11.5 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $5 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the TAFE SA websiteTasmanian Clean Energy Centre of Excellence, TasTAFE Burnie campus, TAS
The Tasmanian Clean Energy Centre of Excellence will support new training methodologies for future clean energy industries and technologies.
The Tasmanian Clean Energy Centre of Excellence, located across the TasTAFE Burnie campuses, will focus on construction and maintenance of wind generation and hydro pump technologies to meet local and national needs for a transition to a net zero economy.
The Tasmanian Clean Energy Centre of Excellence will receive $13.20 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $0.80 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the Skills Tasmania websiteElectric Vehicle (EV) Centre of Excellence, CIT Fyshwick campus, ACT
The Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence is partnering with industry and universities to support growth in the electric vehicle industry across Australia.
The Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence, located at the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Fyshwick campus, will specialise in innovative training for heavy hydrogen electric vehicles, retrofitting of vehicles, battery repurposing and charging installation, in addition to the broader development of safety training for a range of occupations with touch points across the electric vehicle industry.
The Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence will receive $9.66 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $4.78 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the Canberra Institute of Technology websiteCyber Security Centre of Excellence, CIT Woden campus, ACT
The Cyber Security Centre of Excellence will bolster Australia's sovereign capabilities and resilience by enhancing the cyber readiness of businesses and government agencies.
The Cyber Security Centre of Excellence, located at the CIT Woden campus, will deliver training with a national focus on cyber threats, prevention and security to help build the national workforce and safeguard Australia's digital future.
The Cyber Security Centre of Excellence will receive $2.5 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and $0.45 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
For more information on this initiative, visit the Canberra Institute of Technology websiteNT Regional and Remote Essential Care Services Centre of Excellence, CDU and Batchelor Alice Springs and Tennant Creek campuses, NT
The Regional and Remote Essential Care Services Centre of Excellence will boost the accessibility of culturally safe healthcare services.
The Regional and Remote Essential Care Services Centre of Excellence, delivered through Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute at Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, will transform remote healthcare delivery through culturally informed education and innovative training solutions in aged care, birthing, children’s healthcare, and mental health.
The Regional and Remote Essential Care Services Centre of Excellence will receive $10 million from the Commonwealth through the National Skills Agreement and a further $5.3 million in additional funding through the Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence measure.
Turbocharging TAFE Centres of Excellence
The Australian Government announced additional funding through the Working Future: The Australian Government’s White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities, to fast-track TAFE Centres of Excellence established under the NSA. These Centres are nationally networked to deliver training in the priority areas, including the transition to net zero, providing essential care and support services, and building digital skills capability. A total of $41.2 million over five years has been committed to support this measure. Of that:
- States and territories accessed $31.6 million to fast-track TAFE Centres of Excellence. This funding is in addition to the funding available through the NSA.
- A further $9.6 million is supporting the enabling work for higher and degree apprenticeships.